• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2010

Purpose: We retrospectively investigated the effect of irradiation using helical tomotherapy in recurrent pelvic tumors that underwent prior irradiation. Materials and Methods: Fourteen patients with recurrent pelvic tumors consisting of rectal cancer (57.1%), cervical cancer (35.7%) and cancer with an unknown origin (7.1%) were treated with tomotherapy. At the time of irradiation, median tumor size was 3.5 cm and 7 patients complained of pain originating from a recurrent tumor. The median radiation dose delivered to the gross tumor volume, clinical target volume, and planning target volume was 50 Gy, 47.8 Gy and 45 Gy, respectively and delivered at 5 fractions per week over the course of 4 to 5 weeks. Treatment response and duration of local disease control were evaluated using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (ver. 1.0) and the Kaplan-Meyer method. Treatment-related toxicities were assessed through Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (ver. 3.0). Results: The median follow-up time was 17.3 months, while the response rate was 64.3%. Symptomatic improvement appeared in 6 patients (85.7%). The median duration time of local disease control was 25.8 months. The rates of local failure, distant failure, and synchronous local and distant failure were 57.1%, 21.4%, and 7.1%, respectively. Acute toxicities were limited in grade I or II toxicities, except for one patient. No treatment related death or late toxicity was observed. Conclusion: Helical tomotherapy could be suggested as a feasible palliative option in recurrent pelvic tumors with prior radiotherapy. However, to increase treatment effect and overcome the limitation of this outcome, a large clinical study should be performed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.5 s.274
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• pp.369-375
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• 2007

Background: Patients suffering with pectus carinatum complain of cosmetic problems when they stand and this in spite of wearing cloths. The standard surgical treatment of pectus carinatum is resection of the deformed cartilages, but the wide operative scar, post-operative pain and complications related with such an operation can occur. Therefore, we have peformed compressive brace therapy as a non-operative treatment for pectus carinatum and we observed the effects and the efficiency of this treatment. Material and Method: From January, 2001 to December, 2006, 109 patients wore the compressive brace for all day. The degree of satisfaction was evaluated after $6\sim9$ months of wearing the compressive brace. The degree of satisfaction was evaluated by a score of from $1\sim4$. A score of 1 was assigned when the status was worse, 2 when it was the same, 3 when there was partial improvement and 4 when remarkable improvement was observed. The degree of satisfaction was assessed subjectively by the parent if the patient was a child younger than middle school age, and the patients older than middle school age assessed the score themselves. Result: The mean score of the overall degree of satisfaction was $3.93{\pm}0.33$. Recurrence of pectus carinatum after removal of compressive brace occurred in 6 patients (5.5%) of the total 109 patients. But 4 patients of the total 6 recurred patients stopped wearing of compressive brace against our advice. The 6 recurred patients were re-corrected by re-wearing the compressive brace within 3 months after they originally removed the compressive brace. The complications were discomfort with initially wearing the compressive brace, which occurred in all patients, skin rash due to the compressive brace for 76 patients (69.7%) and skin discolorization with excessive compression for f6 patients (5.5%). The skin rash and discolorization returned to normal within a few months after removal of the compressive brace. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that non-surgical treatment with using the compressive brace for patients with pectus carinatum was effective, and especially for children and teenagers. Non-surgical treatment with using a compressive brace would be helpful for the patients suffering with pectus carinatum and who dislike surgical operations because of their fear about general anesthesia and operation-related complications. Yet long-term follow up is necessary to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of this compressive brace and the recurrences after removal of the compressive brace.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was performed to identify the association between family support, activities of daily living (ADL) and depression among hospitalized older patients with chronic diseases. Methods: This study subjects were 100 elderly patients with chronic diseases including chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes mellitus and et al. in a general hospital. The collected data were patient characteristics, family support, ADL, and depression by structured questionnaire and medical chart review. The used statistical analyses were t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlational analysis and multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean scores of family support, ADL and depression were $49.95{\pm}8.68$, $8.65{\pm}2.65$, $6.66{\pm}3.78$, respectively. The prevalence rate of depression was 64.0%. In simple analysis, the statistically significant associated factors with depression were age, spouse, economic status, social activity, subjective health status, and number of pain. Depression had statistically a significant positive correlation with ADL and a negative correlation with family support. The final result of hierarchial multiple regression analysis (Model 3), the factors related to depression were family support (b=-.135, p<.001), subjective health status (b=2.510, p=.001). Conclusions: It is necessary to develop and apply the program for controlling the depression of elderly patients with health education, reinforcement of supportive systems in hospital. And, further multidisciplinary studies should be done.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-166
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• 2006

Inguinal hernia is the most common disease treated by the pediatric surgeon. There are several controversial aspects of management 1)the optimal timing of surgical repair, especially for preterm babies, 2)contralateral groin exploration during repair of a clinically unilateral hernia, 3)use of laparoscope in contralateral groin exploration, 4)timing of surgical repair of cord hydrocele, 5)perioperative pain control, 6)perioperative management of anemia. In this survey, we attempted to determine the approach of members of KAPS to these aspects of hernia treatment. A questionnaire by e-mail or FAX was sent to all members. The content of the questionnaire were adapted from the "American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Surgery hernia survey revisited (J Pediatr Surg 40, 1009-1014, 2005)". For full-term male baby, most surgeons (85.7 %) perform an elective operation as soon as diagnosis was made. For reducible hernia found in ex-preterm infants already discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), 76.2 % of surgeons performed an elective repair under general anesthesia (85.8 %). 42.9 % of the surgeons performed the repair just before discharge. For same-day surgery for the ex-premature baby, the opinion was evenly divided. For an inguinal hernia with a contralateral undescended testis in a preterm baby, 61.9 % of surgeons choose to 'wait and see' until 12 month of age. The most important consideration in deciding the timing of surgery of inguinal hernia in preterm baby was the existence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (82.4 %), episode of apnea/bradycardia on home monitoring (70.6 %). Most surgeons do not explore the contralateral groin during unilateral hernia repair. Laparoscope has not been tried. Most surgeons do not give perioperative analgesics or blood transfusion.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.265-284
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• 2001

The case management has been applied to improve the quality of care and the cost-effectiveness in the most health care institutions. In a way of case management, the critical pathway(CP) has been executed in many acute care settings, focused on the diagnoses with high cost, high volume, and high risk. This study was conducted to develop a case management program using CP as an intervention of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis for the surgery of posterolateral fusion, and to find out the effects of the critical pathway on the quality of nursing care, patient satisfaction as an outcome of care, length of stay and medical charge, and nurses' job satisfaction. At the same time, patients' functional states were checked with the Oswestry Low Back Pain Index, to show that the CP would not decrease the patients' function compared to the control group. The subjects were 25 control patients with a usual operation of lumbar fusion and 25 experimental patients with CP. They were all female, aged $50s{\sim}70s$, admitted in the Orthopedic surgery ward of a university hospital. Also nurses on the floor using CP were asked to respond to measurement tool of job satisfaction before and after the application of CP, and compared with other nurses on the different wards. Data were analyzed with t-test for continuous variables and chi-square for non-parametric variables in addition to the reliability test of the measurement tools. The results of this study were as followings: 1. Patients' functional states The differences in Oswestry scores of the experimental and control groups assessed at preoperation and at discharge were not statistically significant. The change in scores of the experimental group measured at preoperation and at discharge was larger than that of the control group, however the difference was not statistically significant. The results indicate that the CP did not decrease the patients' functional status. 2. The quality of nursing care The total of quality of nursing care given to the experimental group was better than that of the control group(P=.000). In addition, the experimental group showed better scores of quality of every item of care than the control group(P=.000 -.004). 3. Patient satisfaction Patients of the experimental group were not more satisfied with general care than the control group. But they were more satisfied with discharge care of 'explanation about medication, body posture, and brace application' and 'explanation about the adjustment of daily living and exercise during recovery'(P= .047, P=.028). 4. Nurses' job satisfaction Nurses working with the CP showed more job satisfaction than before the CP introduction(P=.048). But the control group of nurses on a different floor showed no change in job satisfaction at the same period of time. 5. Length of stay and medical charge The mean length of stay of the experimental group was shorter than that of the control group without statistical significance. The charge of medication and treatment of the experimental group were smaller than that of the control group(P=.011, P=.000). The results of the study support that the case management using critical pathway enables to improve the quality of care and job satisfaction, to reduce the medical charge, and consequently to increase satisfaction with care. However, the case management should be instituted focusing on the quality improvement of nursing and the client satisfaction, not just for the purpose of cost-effectiveness of health care facilities.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.996-1002
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• 2003

Purpose : In Rett syndrome patients, the incidence of sudden death is greater than that of the general population, and cardiac electrical instability including fatal cardiac arrhythmia is a main suspected cause. In this study, we are going to find out the possible cause of the higher risk of sudden death in Rett patients by the evaluation of heart rate variability, a marker of cardiac autonomic activity and corrected QT intervals. Methods : Diagnosis of Rett syndrome was made by molecular genetic study of Rett syndrome (MECP2 gene) or clinical diagnostic criteria of Rett syndrome. Heart rate variability and corrected QT intervals were measured by 24 h-Holter study in 12 Rett patients, and in 30 age-matched healthy children with chief complaints of chest pain or suspected heart murmurs. The were compared with the normal age-matched control. Results : Patients with total Rett syndrome, classic Rett syndrome, and Rett variants had significantly lower heart rate variability(especially rMSSD)(P<0.05) and longer corrected QT intervals than age-matched healthy children(P<0.05). Sympathovagal balance expressed by the ratio of high to low frequency(LF/HF ratio) also showed statistically significant differences between the three groups considered(P<0.05). Conclusion : A significant reduction of heart rate variability, a marker of autonomic disarray, suggests a possible explanation of cardiac dysfunction in sudden death associated with Rett syndrome.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.19-30
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• 2008

This study reached the following conclusions as a result of carrying out the questionnaire survey of self-descriptions for the satisfaction after the citizens of Daejon uses the dental clinics, in order to identify the factors of satisfaction to the medical services of such dental clinics to be utilized in the patient management by dental hygienists, provide the basic data to provide the medical services desired by patients. 1. 43.9% men responded to the facilities and 56.1% women to the atmosphere for the standards of selection of dental clinics by general characteristic, and the college graduates or more to the kindness (38.2%), high-school graduates (43.2%) and middle-school graduates (25.9%) or less to the close distance for the level of educational attainment (p=0.009), which was meant to have a statistical significance. 2. The execution of reservation system for the dental clinics showed 54.7%, the reserved time was observed upon the execution of such reservation system, the dental clinics where they practice such system were 40.6%, and the confirmation methods was done through the telephone with 62.5%. 3. The experience of fear upon the dental treatment showed 74.6%. The type of fear showed the machine sound (48.7%) for men and cry of others for women (70.8%) at the highest. 70% of those under 30 at the age responded to the sharp instruments at the highest. 83.3% of Yousung-gu showed the highest by responding to the cry of others for the residential areas. The statistically significant difference was shown in both the age and residential area (p=0.000). 4. Women showed higher in the distribution of gender for the sterilization of instruments for the external satisfaction of dental clinics(p=0.000) and those under 30 at the age showed the highest with 2.98${\pm}$0.95(p=0.001). Seo-gu (3.48${\pm}$0.77) was the highest for the residential area (p=0.000), and there was statistically significant differences in the gender, age and residential area. 5. Men showed higher satisfaction than women in the clean state and the statistically significant differences were shown (p=0.000) at the age as the high satisfaction was shown for those under 30 at the age (2.35${\pm}$0.79), those having the income not less than 10 million won and not more than 20 million won (2.43${\pm}$0.78), and Seo-gu (2.63 ${\pm}$0.69) for the residential area. 6. For the internal satisfaction of dental clinic by users for the medical services in the dental clinics, 61.1% women responded to no in the ability of solving the inconvenience in the service process, and showed low ability of solving the inconvenience from 30 at the age (26.2%) and by responding to Dong-gu (22.1%) for the residential area, showing statically significant differences(p=0.000). For the re-use of dental clinics, 46.6% men (p=0.043) for the gender, 24.3% under 30 at the age and 22.9% of Dong-gu for the residential area responded to the re-use, showing statistically significant differences for the gender and residential area (p=0.000). 7. The dissatisfaction showed a high rate of 69.5% for the satisfaction to the medical services of dental clinics. 46.2% men responded to the pain and women to the feeling of foreign substance for the reason of dissatisfaction while those under 30 at the age showed 55.6% for others, those between 50 and 59 41.7% for the feeling of foreign substance. 86.3% carried out the education for cautions after the treatments and most people turned out that they do not carry out the continuous health management of mouth as 20.5% responded to that they carry out such health management.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2007

Purpose: The prevalence of lung cancer is increasing continuously these days. We studied clinical characters of the terminal lung cancer patients who had died in hospice units and our study is the basic report for efficient hospice and palliative care to the lung cancer patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 129 terminal lung cancer patients who had died in Sam Anyang Hospice Unit from March 2003 to December 2006. The survival days during the hospice and palliative care were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method of SPSS 13.0. Results: There were 93 males (72%) and 36 females (28%), and median age of patients was 68 years (range $37{\sim}93$). Eighty two patients (64%) took analgesics, the others 47 (36%) not. The most prevalent reason for admission was dyspnea (47 patients, 36%) and it was different from the terminally ill cancer patients being hospitalized because of pain. And the most common symptom was general weakness (103 patients, 80%). One hundred twenty of the paitents (93%) were administered opioid analgesics, and IV morphine shots were mostly used (103 patients, 80%). Sedation was used in 87 patients (67%), and midazolam was mostly used (68 patients, 53%). The median survival in hospice and palliative care was 35 days and the median hospitalization was 24 days. Conclusion: It is very important to manage dyspnea in terminal lung cancer patients. The length of hospice and palliative care for the terminal lung cancer patients is still short. Therefore continuous education and promotion of hospice and palliative care is needed for an effective care for the patients, their families and doctors.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.165-178
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• 2018

Objectives: To determine the current status of the treatment of breast cancer patients by Korean Medicine doctors (KMDs) and to examine the need for clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the supportive care of these patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were asked about their experience in treating breast cancer patients; the number of breast cancer patients they currently treat; the main complaints expressed by, diagnoses of, and treatments used for such patients; and their opinions about Korean Medicine (KM) as the basis for providing supportive care for breast cancer. Results: The data for this study were collected from 322 respondents. 84 of whom reported having ever treated patients with breast cancer. Most breast cancer patients who visited the KM clinic were classified as stage I or II, and their major complaints were fatigue, general weakness and musculoskeletal pain. The major diagnostic strategies were syndrome differentiation and pulse diagnosis. The major treatments administered were herbal medicine, acupuncture, and moxibustion. KMDs cited a need for medical information, such as CPGs, as their most important concern with regard to the treatment of breast cancer patients. Conclusions: This survey determined the prevalence of the use of KM for Korean breast cancer patients. Our results underscore the need for clinical practice guidelines for using of KM as the basis of supportive care for breast cancer and for informing clinicians and patients about this approach.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.386-392
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors related to xerostomia in patients with systemic diseases, and the results were analyzed through t-test, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis. There were 62 respondents (56.9%) who reported dry mouth and the season of the most severe dry mouth was reported to be the highest during winter. According to the analysis made in the relationship of xerostomia with the awareness of general health and health behavior, the group that understood their own health poorly, had more than two kinds of diseases, and had been administered more than two kinds of daily medication showed higher xerostomia. Also, those who experienced desperation, had high dryness in other parts of the body, and heavy snoring were more aware of xerostomia (p<0.05). According to the analysis made in the relationship between xerostomia and awareness of oral health state, the group that understood their oral health poorly and had pain in the oral mucous membrane and halitosis was more aware of xerostomia (p<0.05). According to the analysis made in the relationship between quality of life and xerostomia, the group that showed high level of problem in daily living and stress and were self-conscious and felt tense due to halitosis reported more xerostomia (p<0.05). Finally, xerostomia was most correlated with consciousness of the eyes of others due to halitosis followed by the number of transferred systemic diseases and stress level. Based on such results, xerostomia was understood to be an obstacle in maintaining favorable social life and health. Since xerostomia was shown to be related to the number of transferred systemic diseases, the dental professions are asked to further improve their understanding not only on oral health but also systemic diseases. Therefore, these efforts are expected to prevent xerostomia and reduce various complications caused by xerostomia.